Thus I Wrote

The stadium was decked out
In red, white and blue
After palpable tension
The Marseillaise rang true
Respect was shown
And all honoured the fallen
They played tentatively first
Unprocessed shock callin’

But then a game broke out
As competition drove play
And the beautiful game
Became a healing ballet
And in union fans sang
And their flags they waved
A commonplace reminder
Of what’s to be saved

An immaculate ceremony
Of solidarity and communion
A mass catharsis
With defiance in union
It was important to say
We stand united against horror
That has no religion…
And has no colour.

Thoughts after England-France Game Wembley London 17-11-2015

Sometimes I take refuge
In childhood fairytales
Where right hero defeats wrong villain
And pure heart rips through malevolent veils
It stills my beating heart and
Soothes my aching searching soul
It is a little Light to give some hope
When a complex Universe takes its toll

But you say you speak for God
…Do not lie to me
If God exists he wants big answers
And not your ugly atrocity
History is filled with liars
Who say what God would say
Before they lead people blindly
Into some barbaric play

The universe asked a question
“What is the best way to exist?”
Many civilisations have answered
“This way is best we insist”
Many Messiahs stood alone
And answered with their vision
A step for the next Messiah to see more
And to offer the next revision

No one knows the future
Only death is certain
The Universe was created
Does God know the intention?
Man created fairytales
As a Light to help us for Good
But in Paris they spread darkness
In a way no loving God would

Later I will rationalise
Today I will mourn
Later I will dance
Today I will be forlorn
Later I will forgive
Today I will rage
Later I will be grown up
Today I will be a child’s age
Later I will laugh again
Today I will cry
Later I will understand
Today I will ask why

I’m certainly glad to see you,
You look so graceful and elegant,
In your lilac, silk dress.
I see you have a golden aura,
I hear your voice is full of money,
Among the tea, cake and flowers..yes
And the white drapes they rose,
On the wind from the sea.
I was lost in their billowing,
And their seductive revelry.
You’re my light in the distance,
You’re my hope and you’re my goal.
You’re my light in the distance,
I feel you pull at my soul.

And the band began to play,
As they cleared the tables away,
For the glittering young things.
They laughed and they danced,
In their sparkling dresses,
And their sparkling diamond rings.
But we left in secret,
To a secret garden tree.
And under the twinkling lights,
I kissed you and you kissed me.
You’re my light in the distance,
You’re my hope and you’re my goal.
You’re my light in the distance,
I feel you pull at my soul.

My hope and my wonder,
Drove me all my life
On a ride wild and fast.
But I was swimming against a current,
That was bearing me ceaselessly,
Back into my past.
And one by one my lights went out,
I was broken up like glass.
Upon the hard, cold malice,
Of your cruel and careless class.
You’re my light in the distance,
But I was drowned in your entourage.
You’re my light in the distance,
But you were a shimmering mirage.

I walk down the pavement
And I sit down inside
I get a hot coffee and a warm croissant
And then I start swimming against the tide

I’m reaching out
I’m trying to connect
I don’t know what’s next
I’m trying to connect

Aah…This is me now

It’s a new day
And the sun is streaming hot
I forget the story in the stars
Cos nobody knows the plot
I was raised on a promise
It was whispered in the wind
It said “Give all you’ve got
And nobody can say that you’ve sinned”

I’m reaching out
I’m trying to connect

I don’t need to be rescued
I just need you to be there
I’m reaching out for something
Something we can share
But there’s too much noise, You can’t hear me
And there’s a haze, So we can’t see
I’m still outside, Your comfort zone
And when you don’t understand, I feel more alone

I’m reaching out
I don’t know what’s next
I’m reaching out
I’m trying to connect

Aah…This is me now

I created a song from my original poem and changed it in the process as often happens.

I’m no Dylan
I’m an ordinary man
I’ve worked all my life
I’ve given all I can

I’ve tried to give something
Different and best
I’ve tried to add value
More than the rest

But now I accept
What I’m asked to do
That I’m no Dylan,
That I just muddle through

I pull my ball of lead
It’s connected with a chain
And I’m walking up that hill
In the cold grey rain

I’m looking for love
In my stomach there’s a pain
I’m driven by a need
That serves another’s gain

I’m scared to look at her
Because I’ve seen her class
I feel her measuring me
As I walk on past

She makes her decision
And she takes me by the hand
“I have what you need
If you heed my command”

She takes me to her room
And she throws away the key
But as the seasons pass
The hurt grows in her memory

At dawn I dream
As the dark bleeds from the night
I’m beyond accusations
As I give myself to the light

Look at me now…
I’m shimmering
I’m glowing
Look at me now…
I’m transfiguring
I’m growing
Look at me now …
I’m flying
I’m knowing
Look at me now…

The majestic mountains
With white snow on the top
The green forests and the valleys
That glisten with raindrops
I’ve travelled the blue oceans
With sails, white and unfurled
Beneath the deep, blue sky
Of our beautiful world

There it spins our beautiful world
There it spins our beautiful world
There it spins our beautiful world
There it spins, again

Einstein found the formula
For general relativity
And Da Vinci was honoured
For his creativity
Mozart he made music
And Picasso had his art
They all gave more than I
But they still had to depart

We give all to our beautiful world
We give all to our beautiful world
We give all to our beautiful world
Then we depart, again

I went into your fields
To sow and to reap
I went into your cities
Where what I win I keep
I built a strong castle
I followed your command
But I found no protection
From your invisible hand

I knocked at your door
For acceptance within
I blew a trumpet
You were not listening
I studied and I learned
To change colour and shape
I climbed over your rejections
To find my place to take

We fight for a place in our beautiful world
We fight for a place in our beautiful world
We fight for a place in our beautiful world
We fight for a place, again

Let’s enjoy the ride
I say to you and me
We are but leaves
On a much bigger tree
And while the sun is out
Let me hold your hand
Love is the earth
In which we stand

We give ourselves to our beautiful world
We give ourselves to our beautiful world
We give ourselves to our beautiful world
We give with love, again

Rock on rock
Hard like rock
Cold like rock
Sharp edged rock

Hard like rock
The calculating machine
I was crushed
Down below and in between

Like a lion
Mistaken as a friend
I forgot the claws
That got me in the end

I was useful
But only for a while
My ideas soon
Were out of style

My greater good
And my integrity
Will be valued
When they later see

Might is right
So my enemies say
They feared my mind
And made my body pay

Not enough love
Stood by my side
They promised forever
But I think they lied

Dare I eat a peach?
Dare I cut my hair?
Shall I buy a new suit?
Something fashionable to wear?

Shall I dance again?
Those musical steps
But shall I learn to tango?
Now more structure is best

Shall I travel again
To see new lands?
With whom shall I talk ?
With whom shall I plan?

I walk on the beach
With the tide coming in
I see the white waves
With the surfers jumping

Like a sirens song
Do they call to me?
To run and join them
With seaweed in the sea?